Automation in the supply chain can unlock speed, accuracy, and throughput, but only when the operation is truly ready. In this episode, Joe Perkins (COO) and Brent Hillabrand (President and CEO) break down what “ready for automation” actually looks like and why so many teams buy the wrong solution too early. You will learn how to spot the difference between real automation readiness and a knee jerk purchase that turns into an expensive mess.

Joined by Lauren Murphy (VP of HR) and Justin Benson (VP of Intralogistics Solutions), the conversation gets practical fast: how lean fundamentals, defined processes, and frontline input change the outcome, why labor pressure pushes leaders toward shortcuts, and how automation can expose hidden process flaws instead of fixing them. If you are considering robots, software, or material handling automation to solve labor constraints, meet customer demand, or keep up with competitors, this episode gives you the decision framework to do it with confidence.

What you will learn:

• The clearest signals an operation is ready for automation
• How to avoid automating a bad process and making it worse
• Why “off the shelf” fixes often fail on the floor
• The hidden costs of moving too fast and how to unwind a wrong decision
• When manual systems can still scale and when they hit the wall
• How labor shortages and customer SLAs distort automation decisions
• Why involving frontline associates improves results and change adoption
• How automation can reveal bottlenecks you did not know you had
• A simple way to define your baseline before choosing any technology
• How to choose automation that fits your operation, not your competitors

Don’t risk a costly automation mistake that creates new bottlenecks, erodes culture, or locks you into the wrong system. Learn how to evaluate automation in the supply chain the right way, build a clean process foundation first, and choose solutions that actually improve performance before it is too late.

Article mentioned in the episode: https://www.barrettdistribution.com/most-warehouses-buy-the-wrong-robots-heres-how-barrett-avoids-that